Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1887-11-17
SOJOURNER TRUTH.
AN ACCOUNT OF HER INTERVIEW
wis PRESIDENT GRANT.

Persona: Appearance of the "Lybian
sibyI"-Ber Words at the CapitoI-AD
Introduction 20 Grant-An Impressive
Interview-Ths Parting.
knew Sojourrer Truth more thar tc-ty
years ago in New England She was then 20
years cid. bu, seemed hardly beyond ,be
prime and glcry of her womanhood. IN those
days Harriet Beecher Stowe described her as
''the Lybian Sibyl," gifted with prophetic
insight and tall and erect like a strong and
graceful African palm tree She would do
more housework of the heaviest kind than
two ordinary women. and yet be one of the
best watchers by a sickbed at night. A sick
man she lifted to the best place on his bed as
easily and tenderly as mother would lift
her baby, and the touch of her hand smooth
ing the pillow and stroking the fevered brow
was health and quiet, while her wall, There,
honey, you's easier now,n had a strange
power to give ease and calm.
Unframed in grammar or rhetoric, never
able to read or write, there was quaint dis
regard for set rule of speech in her public and
private discourse, but no fine rhetorician
could make his meaning palmer and few
could equal her in power of expression or ex-
uberance of imagery. A few years after the
close of the civil war 1 went with her to the
senate reception room in the Capitol at
Washington. She stood beneaIh the center
OF its arched ceiling and the deep look of her
wonderful eyes seemed TO take III the beauty
OF pictured forms and glowing cOlors on its
walls, she said: "Dis is like the picture
chambers of de New Jerusalem dat dey read
about in de Book" Then she looked out of
the window and saw the poor huts Of the
freed people not far away, ard sa'd d in tender
tones: But they dou't have dcIi over there"
A great gospel OF divinity and Of tender hu-
manlty seemed spoken in two brief sentences.
Great souls can move other souls.
GAS THE SPIRIT TOLD HER"
In the winter of 1S71-7s spent some time
in Washington, and about midwinter learned
that Sojourner Truth was in the city. Had
/ not known her ways this would have
been a surprise, for the long winters journey
from her home at Battle Greek, in the cen
ter Of Michigan, was a serious undertaking
for woman near her Tooth birthday. But l
knew that she always went "as the good
spirit told her," and that some strong feeling
of duty TO be done led her to the capital city.
Her way opened, not long after, for some
hospitals. l soon went to see her and she
said, with great earnestness: Il believe de
good Lord sent you, for you are de very one
l wanted to see." Asking what was specially
wanted, she said: II want to see President
Grant, and you can get me there" 1 told
her that was easier said than done, but I
would try, and the next day wrote note TO
him, saying she wished to see him ct some fit
time, took it to the White House, sent it in
to the business office, and a verbal message
soon came back to me in the waiting room
that any morning would suit.
In few days Sojourner, with two ladies,
venerable friend of Quaker birth and my
self, went to meet tie appointment and sent
i'll card, "SOjourrer Truth and friends"
which brought back in a half hour messen-
ger to escort US to President Grants office
He sat at the end of long table in the center
of the room, with documents piled before
him, and just closing an interview with other
persons. l stepped forward to introduce the
party and to bring Sojourner beside the table
She had met President Lincoln, and he, a
born Kentuckian, could call her "Aunty" in
the old familiar way, while Grant, though
kindly, was reticent, and all was not quite
easy ut first. But happy thought came to
her. Not long before the president had
signed some bill of new guarantees of justice
to the colored people. Sic spoke of this with
gratitude; the thin ice broke and words came
freely from both, for Grant was an easy and
fluent taiker, bat had the wisdom of silence
until the fit time came TO speak.
Standing there, tall and erect while stirred
in soul by the occasion, her wonderful eyes
glowed as she thanked him for bis good deeds
and gave wise counsel in ker own clear and
quaint way.
FINE AND SIMPLE DIGNITY.
~, -I-e